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All-In [27421]
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I did a thing.
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Jan 30, 2024, 10:37 PM
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A couple of months back, I came across a NextDoor post from a Ukrainian family who had just moved to the area from Kyiv, and were looking for any apartment donations to help get them set up. Ukraine is a topic close to my heart, and the guy had a two-year-old boy, so I jumped right on it. Since then, I've stayed in touch trying to connect him with jobs, or just answering questions about American culture. He's who we had over for dinner and they brought that crazycool bottle of Georgian wine. Anyways, he asked me I would be open to sponsoring his younger brother to come to the U.S. under a special Ukrainian refugee program, or know someone who would. He had tried everybody he knew here in the States to no avail, and he couldn't do it as a refugee still in the parole period himself. Well, my family ended up sponsoring him, and he got approval this week to come. He lands on Thursday.
It's kind of sobering, humbling situation. He was temporarily in Poland where he holds dual citizenship, but that situation is so perilous he could have easily been brought back to Ukraine, and given his youth, undoubtedly sent to the front lines. There was a very real chance it was either get here, or die. And, in deliberating the ask, I felt that this would be one of those things I would have always looked back and regretted. Him finally heading here hits heavy.
Sometimes I think we forget we're all humans and others are not just lifeless avatars we interact with. We need to stay connected to that sense of humanity.
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CU Medallion [53502]
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Re: I did a thing.
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Jan 30, 2024, 10:49 PM
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All-TigerNet [11247]
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Thats bada$$, Jimmy.***
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Jan 30, 2024, 10:53 PM
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CU Medallion [58612]
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You done good.***
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Jan 30, 2024, 11:13 PM
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Lot o points [156214]
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Well done bruh
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Jan 30, 2024, 11:23 PM
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I just hope the spooks don’t start looking around your business now.
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Orange Blooded [2824]
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Teach him one thing
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Jan 31, 2024, 12:19 AM
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How to post tids to the lounge.
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All-In [44038]
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Uhhh. lIgHTbUlB wILLy ain't gone like this.
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Jan 31, 2024, 7:44 AM
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Saying, marxist free handouts open borders freedom rapist terrorist drug addicts paid by biden something about blacks and socialism and jeep rocking.
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Heisman Winner [135893]
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Not to steal your thunder, but I tried to sponsor some refugees from the
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Jan 31, 2024, 7:50 AM
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Swedish Bikini Team back in the early 90s but it didn't work out because I couldn't convince any of them to come over.
Seriously though...proud of you my brother. Bring the whole lot of them to the Thirsty Beaver for a crash course in American culture and the first round is on me.
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Lot o points [156214]
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In Soviet Russia, first rounds IN you.***
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Jan 31, 2024, 8:22 AM
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Heisman Winner [135893]
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Re: In Soviet Russia, first rounds IN you.***
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Jan 31, 2024, 8:32 AM
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All-In [27421]
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Lot o points [156214]
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I had another suggestion I thought of.
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Jan 31, 2024, 9:08 AM
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Perhaps you could bond with them by spending several hours watching old Yakov Smirnoff sets on YouTube?
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Heisman Winner [105886]
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JimmyHeyHey be like
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Jan 31, 2024, 8:40 AM
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Nah, that is most excellent. You did a REAL good thing.
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All-In [42417]
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Hell yeah. Bravo, sir.***
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Jan 31, 2024, 8:43 AM
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Heisman Winner [138332]
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So now when a totally serious anti-immigration activist asks you when
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Jan 31, 2024, 8:45 AM
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you're going to open your home to a refugee, you can be all
(I don't know if "sponsoring" actually means he comes to live with you for some period of time or not)
In any case, good on you, brother. Really excellent thing you're doing.
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Heisman Winner [105886]
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This brings up a GREAT question. What exactly does sponsoring entail?
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Jan 31, 2024, 8:50 AM
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Does your name get added as a patch on all his clothes? If he is interviewed, does he have to say something like "Had a great day today out there doing [insert activity here], but really couldn't do it without oh_its_JimmyHEYHEY®..." Does he get to live with you, share a bed with you, share a shower with you, share a wife with you?
Thanks, I'll wang up and glisten.
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All-In [27421]
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So yeah. Requirements of sponsorship depend on the immigration program.
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Jan 31, 2024, 9:10 AM
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Some have financial requirements that are encumbered as a matter of law once you apply, but from what I read about Uniting for Ukraine, financial support is expected, but not necessarily legally binding (though, when I got my approval notice, it said a failure to financially support the beneficiary was something akin to perjury...). Expectations are that you will help with housing/transportation/immigration paperwork, etc. until the beneficiary is through the parole period and self-supporting. All the immigration attorneys I called weren't familiar with the program and couldn't really help, but as I said, it was a (low) risk I felt like I needed to take.
But, my buddy (the brother already here), was adamant that he and his family would be taking care of him and all his needs, but of course, we are here for both of them if they need it. My contributions have been getting them the goods they need through donations (like my in-laws had a friend at church die suddenly and it worked out perfectly they had a lot of furniture/dishes to donate) or using my community contacts to find jobs or get help where needed. Essentially serving as a cultural guide.
They're the first Ukrainians I know, but reading the stories from the war and just knowing them, Ukrainians are resilient and determined. They're going to be great additions to our community.
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All-In [27421]
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Also group sex.
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Jan 31, 2024, 9:10 AM
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(I couldn't leave you blue and hanging.)
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Heisman Winner [138332]
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All-In [27421]
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Level of support depends on the program and situation.
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Jan 31, 2024, 9:00 AM
[ in reply to So now when a totally serious anti-immigration activist asks you when ] |
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Fortunately, he's got his brother's family here to help him get settled and can walk him through the parole/visa/naturalization process.
S. (the guy I first met) was pretty well-off in Ukraine. He was the COO of a company that ran restaurants inside of grocery stores. So while he's currently an assistant manager at Harris Teeter struggling to get his two coworkers motivated enough to set up a salad bar, and that sucks, he's sharp and hungry for more opportunity so I know he'll eventually find a role more suitable to his skills. Really the only thing holding him back now is his English, which is actually really good but I think he's a little self-conscious. His brother who is coming over is younger, but there are tons of job openings for guys like him right now, so I think he'll get set up and going as soon as he gets here.
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All-In [46905]
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Thanks for contributing to the alien invasion of our country
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Jan 31, 2024, 8:46 AM
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--Charleston Tom
Congrats. Don't think I could have done that.
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CU Medallion [64837]
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I thought that's why you added on to Meemaw's house?!?!?!***
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Jan 31, 2024, 8:56 AM
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